Mobile hydrometallurgical apparatus.



H. -w. BLAISDELL -&' I. R. BROWN. MOBILE HYDROMETALLUBGIOAL APPARATUS.APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15, 1906.

907,309. Patented Dec. 22 1908.

mffww I THE NORRIS psrmzs'cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM W. BLAISDELL AND JOSEPH RODNEY BROWN, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA,

ASSIGNORS TO BLAISDELL COMPANY, OF LOS TION OF CALIFORNIA.

ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1908.

Applicationfiled September 15, 1906. Serial No. 334,801.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HIRAM W. BLAISDELL and Josnrrr RonNnYBRoWN,citizens of the United States, residing at .Los Angeles, in the countyof Los Angeles and State of California, have invented certain new anduseful Mobile Hydrometallurgical- Apparatus; and we do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to hydro-metallurgical apparatus and has amongother objects, the elimination of the long line of shafting hitherto inuse in agitating vats, which must be kept running, even though thecontents of only one vat is being operated on, entailing wear of theapparatus and needless expenditure of power. 1

Another object of the invention is to dispense with the great length ofpiping required under the old construction, which increases enormouslythe amount of power requiredto operate the pump used to circulate thecontents of the vat.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 'vide a machine for aeratingand agitating the contents of such vats which may be used in any one ofa series of vats.

A further object of this invention is to provide in an apparatus of thisclass means by which the circulated slimes may be re turned to the vatin a series of small streams, whereby said slimes are brought morethoroughly into contact with the air.

Still a further object is to provide means whereby the contents of thevat next the bot tom may be caused to rise to the surface therebythoroughly commingling and uniformly aerating said contents.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure 1. is a general perspective view of theapparatus, partly brokenaway. Fig.2 is a section of the device through which the material isreturned to the tank. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of an alternativeconstruction of the above.

Reference numeral 1 designates a tank or vat, adjacent to the sides ofwhich or a row of which are supported rails 2, whereupon the wheels 3 ofthe traveling structure 4 are adapted to travel. Around the edges oftank 1 1 baffle boards 5 inclined at an angle to the vertical aresupported in any suitable manner. A shaft 6 is mounted in a bearing inthe-central-portion of thetraveling structure andalso in a bearingsupported by a truss 7 forming a part of said structure. A bevel gear 8is splined to shaft 6 and meshes with a bevel pinion 9 on shaft 10 whichhas a gear 11 driven by pinion 12 on power shaft 13, which receivesmotion through suitable gearing from motor 14. On shaft 13 is a pulley15, belted to pulley 16 on shaft 17, fast to which is a spur pinion 18,meshing with a gear 19, on ashaft 20, whereon is a worm 21,

meshing with a gear 22 on .a shaft 23, whereon are drums 24 on which arefast cables 25, which pass over pulleys 26 down to a crosshead 27supporting a collar 28 fast to shaft 6. Mounted on shaft 20 is a clutch29 hav ing an operating rod 30 which is connected by a chain or otherflexible device 31 to lever 32, the shorter arm of which is connected bya link to lever 33 on the shaft 34, on which is a contact lever 35.

On shaft 13 is a clutch 36, the loose member of which is connected tothe pulley 37 belted to a pulley 38 on a shaft 39, which by suitablegearing transmits motion to the wheels 3 of the traveling structure 4. Ahand wheel 40 is provided at the end of shaft 39, whereby the latter maybe moved to adjust the apparatus over the center of any vat, as may bedesired.

Upon the traveling structure 4 is mounted apnnip 41 having a suctiontube 42, provided with a foot valve 43. An air inlet 44 is provided onsuction tube 42 and a tube 45 is arranged to discharge a stream of waterinto suction tube 42 above the foot valve 43. Suction tube 42 isconnected to pump 41 with a flexible joint 46. The outlet of pump 42 isprovided with a bend or trap 47 which communicates with an annularcasting 48, Fig. 2, which has perforated arms 49. A motor 50 is providedto-drive pump 41. At the lower end of shaft 6 is a casting 51, to whichare bolted arms 52, preferably formed of channel iron, the outer endsbeing curved backward as regards their direction of rotation.

A trolley 53 is provided to transmit cur rent to motors 14 and 50. Ahand crank 54 is provided on the end of shaft 17.

. In the alternative construction shown in [Fig ;3,the; casting ismounted upon a prolongation of the hub of gear 8 and the fluid from pumpll is delivered thereto by branch pipes 56.

The mode of operation of this invention is as follows: The shaft 6 andits appurtenances, also the suction pipe 42 being in a raised position,the traveling structure a is moved along the rails 2 until the shaft 6is over the central part of any one of the vats whose contents it isdesired to operate upon. The suction pipe is then lowered. Motor 50 isthen started, causing the pump ll to draw the slimes to the suction pipe42 and dis charge them into the vat in a series of fine streams throughthe holes in perforated arms 44. Should the foot valve 43 be clogged,water may be admitted into the tube 45 thereby washing away any sedimentwhich may obstruct the valve. 1f desired, air inlet 44. may be opened,allowing air to enter the suction conduit and be thoroughly mingled withthe slimes being withdrawn from and discharged into the tank. Motor 14being started, motion is imparted to shaft 13, pinion 12, gear 11, bevelpinion 9 and bevel gear 8, to shaft 6, thereby rotating the agitatorarms 52. The curved ends of the arms 52 cause the contents of the vat tobe driven against the battle boards 5, which by their inclination, causeit to rise to the surface, thus establishing a circulation outwardly atthe bottom of the vat and inwardly at the surface of the material beingtreated. As the material in the vat becomes loosened, the agitator maybe lowered by the cables being unwound from drums 24 by motiontransmitted from shaft 13 through the connections previously described.WVhen the agitator arms approach the bottom of the vat, crosshead 27contacts with lever 35 which disengages clutch 29 by means of thehereinbefore mentioned devices, connecting said clutch and lever,whereby further downward movement of the agitator is prevented. It is tobe understood that when pump 41 is stopped, the foot valve 4-3 retainssufficient fluid therein to obviate the necessity of priming, the raisedportion of the discharge pipe preventing the water running ofi throughthe outlet.

Claims.

1. Containing means, a traveling structure adjacent thereto andadjustable in position for operating on material in said containingmeans, an agitator and an aerator supported by said structure, and meansfor operating said agitator and aerator.

2. In hydrometallurgical apparatus a series of vats and a travelingstructure supporting an agitator and an aerator adapted to operate uponthe contents of said vats.

3. Containing means, a traveling structure adjacent thereto andadjustable in position for operating on material in said containingmeans, a rotary agitator and an aerator carried by said structure, withmeans for operating the same.

4. Containing means, a traveling structure adjacent thereto andadjustable in position for operating on material in said con tainingmeans, a rotary agitator and a centrifugal pump carried by saidstructure, and means for operating the same.'

5. A series of vats, a traveling structure associated therewith, a pumpsupported thereby, a conduit connecting said pump with one of the vatsand means for supplying air to said conduit.

6. A series of vats, a traveling structure associated therewith, a pumpsupported by said structure, a jointed conduit leading from one of saidvats to said pump and means for supplying air to said conduit.

7. Containing means, a traveling structure adjacent thereto andadjustable in position for operating on material in said containingmeans, an agitator and an aerator carried by said structure with motorsfor operating the same, power transmitting connections operated by oneof said motors for progressing said traveling structure.

8. A series of vats, a traveling structure associated therewith, a pumpmounted on said structure, a conduit leading from one of said vats tosaid pump and means connected to the outlet of said pump for distributing fluid in said vats.

9. A series of vats, a traveling structure associated therewith,'a pumpmounted on said structure, a conduit supplying fluid to said pump, amember connected to the outlet of said pump and a plurality ofperforated pipes connected to said member.

10. A series of vats, associated therewith, a on, a conduit supplyingfluid to said pump and a rotary member to receive fluid from said pumpand distribute the same in the vats.

11. Vats containing material to be operated on, a traveling structureassociated therewith and adjustable in position for operating on thecontents of a vat, a pump on said structure, a conduit leading into saidvat and connected to said pump, and means connected to the outlet ofsaid pump for distributing fluid over the surface of the contents of thevat.

l2. Vats containing material to be operated on, a traveling structureassociated therewith and adjustable in position for operating on thematerial in any one of said vats, a pump on said structure, a conduitadapted to connect said pump with the contents of a vat and providedwith an air inlet, and means connected to the outlet of said pump fordistributing material over the surface of the contents of said vat.

13. In hydro-metallurgical apparatus, containing means, a travelingstructure adpump mounted therejustable in position for operating onmaterial in said containing means, a pump mounted on said structure, asuction conduit for said pump, a discharge conduit from said pump havinga portion thereof elevated above said pump, and a foot valve in saidsuction conduit.

14. In hydro-metallurgical apparatus, containing means, a travelingstructure adjustable in position for operating on material in saidcontaining means, a pump mounted on said structure having a suctionconduit, :1- foot valve in said conduit, a tube adapted to dischargefluid Within said conduit above said foot valve, and a discharge conduitfrom said pump having a portion elevated above said pump.

15. A series of vats, baflle boards in said vats, a traveling structurecarrying an agitator adapted to operate in any one of said vats and anaerator carried by said traveling structure.

16. A series of vats, a traveling structure, a centrifugal pump mountedupon said structure, a movable suction conduit adapted to connect saidpump with any one of said vats and a foot valve in said conduit, and anoutlet pipe from said pump having a portion raised above the pump.

17. A series of vats, a traveling structure, an agitator carried by saidstructure, batiie boards in said vats, a pump carried by said structureand a series of perforated pipes forming the outlet of said pump.

18. Containing means, a traveling structure adjacent to said containingmeans and adjustable in position to operate on the contents thereof, andmeans carried by said structure to distribute and aerate fluid in saidcontaining means.

19. Containing means, a traveling structure adjacent to said containingmeans and adjustable in position to operate on the contents thereof, anappliance carried by said structure to distribute and aerate fluid, andmeans to supply fluid from said containing means to said appliance.

In testimony whereof, We have signed our names to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses at Los Angeles, county of LosAngeles, State of California, this 31st day of August, A. D. 1906.

HIRAM W. BLAISDELL. JOSEPH RODNEY BROWN.

Witnesses:

OWEN RICE, O. O. MoREYNoLDs.

